letters-第52部分

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　utterly　unable　to　pay　the　half　of　that　price。'　　I　replied；　'I　will　　sell　you　as　many　as　you　please　for　three　REALS　each；　I　am　　acquainted　with　the　poverty　of　the　land；　and　my　friends　and　myself　　in　affording　the　people　the　means　of　spiritual　instruction　have　no　　wish　to　curtail　their　scanty　bread。'　　He　replied：　　'BENEDITO　SEO　　DIOS'　（'blessed　be　God'）；　and　could　scarcely　believe　his　ears。　　He　　instantly　purchased　a　dozen；　expending　therein；　as　he　said；　all　the　　money　he　possessed　with　the　exception　of　a　few　CUARTOS。　　The　　introduction　of　the　reading　of　the　Word　of　God　into　the　country　　schools　of　Spain　is　therefore　now　begun；　and　I　humbly　hope　that　it　　will　prove　one　of　those　events　which　the　Bible　Society　after　the　　lapse　of　years　will　have　most　reason　to　remember　with　joy　and　　gratitude　to　the　Almighty。

An　old　peasant　is　at　present　reading　in　the　portico。　　Eighty…four　　years　have　passed　over　his　head；　and　he　is　almost　entirely　deaf；　　nevertheless　he　is　reading　aloud　the　second　＇chapter＇　of　Matthew。　　　Three　days　since　he　bespoke　a　Testament；　but　not　being　able　to　　raise　the　money　he　has　not　redeemed　it　until　the　present　moment；　he　　has　just　brought　thirty　farthings。　　As　I　survey　the　silvery　hair　　which　overshadows　his　sun…burnt　countenance；　the　words　of　the　song　　occur　to　me：　　'Lord；　now　lettest　Thou　Thy　servant　depart　in　peace；　　according　to　Thy　word：　　for　mine　eyes　have　seen　Thy　salvation。'

I　will　now　conclude　these　anecdotes　with　one　not　divested　of　　singularity。　　Over　a　branch　of　the　Tagus　by　the　bridge　Azeca　there　　is　a　large　water…mill。　　I　have　formed　an　acquaintance　with　the　　tenant　of　this　mill；　who　is　known　in　the　neighbourhood　by　the　name　　of　Don　Antero。　　Two　days　ago；　taking　me　into　a　retired　place；　he　　asked　me　to　my　great　astonishment　if　I　would　sell　him　a　thousand　　Testaments　at　the　price　at　which　I　was　disposing　of　them　to　the　　peasantry；　saying　that　if　I　would　consent　he　would　pay　me　　immediately；　in　fact　he　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　pulled　it　　out　filled　with　gold　ounces。　　I　asked　him　what　was　the　reason　for　　his　wish　to　make　so　considerable　a　purchase。　　Whereupon　he　informed　　me　that　he　had　a　relation　in　Toledo　whom　he　wished　to　establish；　　and　that　he　was　of　opinion　that　he　could　do　no　better　than　take　a　　shop　there　and　furnish　it　with　Testaments。　　I　told　him　that　he　must　　think　of　nothing　of　the　kind；　as　probably　the　books　would　be　seized　　on　the　first　attempt　to　introduce　them　into　Toledo；　as　the　priests　　and　canons　were　much　averse　to　their　distribution。　　He　was；　　however；　not　disconcerted；　and　said　his　relation　could　travel；　as　I　　myself　was　doing；　to　dispose　of　them　to　the　peasants　with　profit　to　　himself。　　I　confess　I　was　disposed　at　first　to　accept　his　offer；　　but　at　length　declined　it；　as　I　did　not　wish　to　expose　a　poor　man　　to　the　risk　of　losing　money；　goods；　and　perhaps　liberty　and　life。　　　I　was　likewise　averse　to　the　books　being　offered　to　the　peasantry　　at　an　advanced　price；　being　aware　that　they　could　not　afford　it；　　and　the　books；　by　such　an　attempt　would　lose　a　considerable　part　of　　that　PRESTIJIO　（I　know　no　English　word　to　express　my　meaning）　which　　they　now　enjoy。　　Their　cheapness　strikes　the　minds　of　the　people　　with　wonder；　and　they　consider　it　almost　as　much　in　the　light　of　a　　miracle　as　the　Jews　＇did　the＇　manna　which　dropped　from　heaven　at　　the　time　they　were　famishing；　or　the　spring　which　suddenly　gushed　　from　the　flinty　rock　to　assuage　their　thirst　in　the　wilderness。

The　following　is　a　list　of　the　villages　of　the　Sagra；　or　champaign　　country　of　Toledo；　already　supplied　with　Testaments。

It　will　perhaps　be　expedient　to　print　this　list　in　the　'Extracts。'


Vargas　　　　　Mocejon　　　　　　　Villa　Seca　Cobeja　　　　　Villaluenga　　　Yuncler。


In　about　a　week　I　shall　depart　from　hence　and　proceed　to　another　　district；　as　it　would　not　be　prudent　to　make　a　long　sojourn　in　any　　particular　district　under　existing　circumstances。　　It　is　my　　intention　to　cross　the　country　to　Aranjuez；　and　endeavour　to　supply　　with　the　Word　the　villages　on　the　frontier　of　La　Mancha。　　Write　to　　me　as　soon　as　possible；　always　directing　to　my　lodgings　in　Madrid。　　　I　wish　to　know　the　lowest　price　at　which　I　am　at　liberty　to　dispose　　of　Testaments；　and　conclude　with　hoping　that　what　I　have　narrated　　will　meet　the　approbation　of　you　ALL。

（UNSIGNED。）



LETTER：　23rd　July；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Aug。　2nd；　1838）　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO；　JULY　23；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　As；　I　was　about　to　leave　Villa　Seca　for　　Aranjuez　I　received　your　letters　of　the　3rd　and　7th　inst。；　on　the　　perusal　of　which　I　instantly　returned　to　Madrid　instead　of　pursuing　　my　intended　route。

My　answer　will　be　very　brief；　as　I　am　afraid　of　giving　way　to　my　　feelings；　I　hope；　however；　that　it　will　be　to　the　purpose。

It　is　broadly　hinted　in　yours　of　the　7th　that　I　have　made　false　　statements　in　asserting　that　the　Government；　in　consequence　of　what　　has　lately　taken　place；　had　come　to　a　resolution　of　seizing　the　　Bible　depots　in　various　parts　of　this　country。

In　reply；　I　beg　leave　to　inform　you　that　by　the　first　courier　you　　will　receive　from　the　British　Legation　at　Madrid　the　official　　notice　from　Count　Ofalia　to　Sir　George　Villiers　of　the　seizures　　already　made；　and　the　motives　which　induced　the　Government　to　have　　recourse　to　such　a　measure。

The　following　seizures　have　already　been　made；　though　some　have　not　　as　yet　been　officially　announced：

The　Society's　books　at　Oviedo；　Pontevedra；　Salamanca；　Santiago；　　Seville；　and　Valladolid。

It　appears　from　your　letters　that　the　depots　in　the　south　of　Spain　　have　escaped。　　I　am　glad　of　it；　although　it　be　at　my　own　expense。　　　I　see　the　hand　of　the　Lord　throughout　the　late　transactions。　　He　is　　chastening　me。　　It　is　His　pleasure　that　the　guilty　escape　and　the　　innocent　be　punished。　　The　Government　give　orders　to　seize　the　　Bible　depots　throughout　the　country　on　account　of　the　late　scenes　　at　Malaga　and　Valencia。　　I　have　never　been　there；　yet　only　MY　　depots　are　meddled　with；　as　it　appears！　　The　Lord's　will　be　done；　　blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord！

I　will　write　again　to…morrow。　　I　shall　have　then　arranged　my　　thoughts；　and　determined　on　the　conduct　which　it　becomes　a　　Christian　to　pursue　under　these　circumstances。　　Permit　me　in　　conclusion　to　ask　you：

Have　you　not　to　a　certain　extent　been　partial　in　this　matter？　　Have　　you　not；　in　the　apprehension　of　being　compelled　to　blame　the　　conduct　of　one；　who　has　caused　me　unutterable　anxiety；　misery；　and　　persecution；　and　who　has　been　the　bane　of　the　Bible　cause　in　Spain；　　refused　to　receive　the　information　which　it　was　in　your　power　to　　command？　　I　called　on　the　Committee　and　yourself；　from　the　first；　　to　apply　to　Sir　George　Villiers；　no　one　is　so　well　versed　in　what　　has　lately　been　going　on　as　himself。　　But　no。　　It　was　God's　will　　that　I；　who　have　risked　all　and　lost　almost　all　in　the　cause；　be　　taunted；　suspected；　and　the　sweat　of　agony　and　tears　which　I　have　　poured　out　be　estimated　at　the　value　of　the　water　of　the　ditch　or　　the　moisture　which　exudes　from　rotten　dung。　　But　I　murmur　not；　and　　hope　I　shall　at　all　times　be　willing　to　bow　to　the　dispensations　of　　the　Almighty。

Sir　George　Villiers　has　returned　to　England　for　a　short　period；　you　　have　therefore　the　opportunity　of　consulting　him。　　I　WILL　NOT　leave　　Spain　until　the　whole　affair　has　been　thoroughly　sifted。　　I　shall　　then　perhaps　appear　and　bid　you　an　eternal　farewell。

Four　hundred　Testaments　have　been　disposed　of　in　the　Sagra　of　　Toledo。

（UNSIGNED。）

P。S。　…　I　am　just　returned　from　the　Embassy；　where　I　have　had　a　long　　interview　with　that　admirable　person；　Lord　Wm。　Hervey。　　He　has　　requested　me　to　write　him　a　letter　on　the　point　in　question；　which　　with　the　official　documents　he　intends　to　send　to　the　Secretary　of　　State　in　order　to　be　laid　before　the　Bible　Society。　　He　has　put　　into　my　hands　the　last　communication　from　Ofalia。　　It　relates　to　　the　seizure　of　MY　depots　at　Malaga；　Pontevedra；　etc。　　I　have　not　　opened　it；　but　send　it　for　your　perusal。



LETTER：　3rd　August；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　　Aug。　14th；　1838）　No。　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO；　MADRID；　AUGUST　3；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Since　writing　to　you　last　I　have　been　at　some　　distance　from　Madrid。　　Indeed　my　affairs　at　the　time　were　in　such　a　　condition　and　so　much　depended　upon　my　personal　superintendence；　　that　I　was　obliged　to　depart　almost　immediately　after　dispatching　　my　answers　to　your　two　last。　　I　am　now　returned　principally　on　　account　of　a　rather　unfortunate　accident　which　occurred　on　the　　frontier　of　La　Mancha；　the　particulars　of　which　I　shall　give　you　　presently。　　I　shall；　however；　only　tarry　sufficient　time　to　rest　　the　horses　and　again　go　forth；　for　I　am　but　too　well　aware　that　no　　time　must　now　be　lost；　my　enemies　being　numerous　and　watchful。

On　leaving　Madrid　I　proceeded　in　the　direction　of　Aranjuez；　selling　　from　twenty　to　forty　copies　in　every　village　that　lay　in　the　way　or　　near　it；　my　intention　was　to　penetrate　deep　into　La　Mancha；　and　in　　that　view　I　had　forwarded　a　large　supply　of　books　to　Aranjuez。　　　Having　arrived　there　I　made　a　sojourn　of　three　days；　during　which　　time；　myself；　＇my＇　servant　and　Juan　Lopez；　of　whom　I　have　　previously　spoken　to　you；　visited　every　house　in　the　town。　　We　　found　a　vast　deal　of　poverty　and　ignorance　amongst　the　inhabitants；　　and　experienced　some　opposition；　nevertheless　it　pleased　the　　Almighty　to　permit　us　to　dispose　of　about　eighty　Testaments；　which　　were　purchased　entirely　by　the　very　poor　people；　those　in　easier　　circumstances　paying　no　attention　to　the　Word　of　God；　but　rather　　turning　it　to　scoff　and　ridicule。　　One　circumstance　was　very　　gratifying　and　cheering　to　me；　namely；　the　ocular　proof　which　I　　possessed　that　the　books　which　I　disposed　of　were　read；　and　with　　attention；　by　those　to　whom　I　disposed　of　them；　and　that　many　　others　participated　in　their　benefit。　　In　the　streets　of　Aranjuez　　and　beneath　the　mighty　cedars　and　gigantic　elms　and　plantains　which　　compose　its　noble　woods；　I　have　frequently　seen　groups　assembled；　　listening　to　individuals　who；　with　the　New　Testament　in　their　　hands；　were　reading　aloud　the　comfortable　words　of　salvation。

It　is　probable　that　had　I　remained　a